This invention relates to a system for the quick coupling of one or more attachments to an agricultural implement at a desired location on the implement, and more particularly relates to a mounting system for the ready attachment and removal of cultivator fenders or the like to the cultivator tool bar of a row crop cultivating implement.
In growing of row crops, such as corn, soy beans, and the like, the ground between the rows of crops is routinely cultivated (i.e., dug up) one or more times while the crop is growing so as to prevent excessive weed growth in the field and so as to condition the soil for more readily soaking up and retaining moisture. Fields are conventionally cultivated by attaching a cultivating implement (oftentimes referred to merely as a cultivator) to a tractor or other prime mover and then driving the tractor through the fields in a direction parallel to the rows. Cultivators typically include a tool or cultivator bar or beam which extends transversely of the direction of movement of the tractor and spans several rows of crops to be cultivated. For example, a tractor with a modern cultivator may readily simultaneously cultivate up to 16 or 24 rows of crops. The cultivator includes a number of cultivator shoes or shovels which are supported from the tool bar and which are so positioned as to engage the ground between the rows of crops without interferring with the crops growing in the rows. Cultivators are usually mounted on the tractor by means of a conventional 3 point hitch arrangement so the tractor operator may selectively lift the cultivator to a raised position in which the cultivating tools are clear of the ground and above the rows of crops being cultivated or lower the cultivator to a cultivating position in which the cultivator tools engage the soil between the rows of crops for cultivation. As the tractor is driven through the field with the cultivator in its cultivating position, the cultivating tools or shovels, of course, penetrate the soil and dig it up. As the cultivator tools move through the soil, and especially at high tractor speeds, clods of dirt erupt from the cultivator tools and are thrown outwardly with sufficient force so as to damage young plants in the crop rows.
As is well known, various types of shields and fenders have been developed to prevent the erupting dirt from the cultivator tools from damaging the rows of crops. At the same time, these shields have permitted cultivation at even higher tractor speeds thus increasing the productivity of the cultivating operation.
Reference may be made to such U.S. Pat. Nos. as 2,417,597, 2,465,043, 2,805,614, 3,539,019, 3,595,321 and 3,719,234 which disclose various prior art cultivator shields and fender arrangements.
In many farming operations, it is a common practice to have various types of crops, such as soy beans and corn, under cultivation at one time. However, at different times of the growing season it may be necessary to use a cultivator shield for cultivating, for example, soy beans while it may not be possible to use cultivator shields for cultivating other crops, such as corn, which may be more mature. Thus, when the operator switches from cultivating one crop to another, it may be necessary to install or remove the cultivator shields.
Typically, cultivator shields are held in place on the tool bar of the cultivator by means of U-bolts which fit around the tool bar and which when tightened securely hold the cultivator fender in a desired position on the cultivator so as to line up with the rows of crops being cultivated. As heretofore noted, modern cultivators can include up to 16 or 24 rows of crops. Thus, the installation or removal of 16 or 24 cultivator shields turns out to be a time consuming job. In actual practice, it has been found that considerable time is oftentimes required to install the cultivator shields and to align them in their proper position on the cultivator tool bar so that they line up in proper relation to the rows of crops. It is further noted that positioning of the cultivator shields on the cultivator tool bar is critical or otherwise the cultivator shields themselves may cause damage to the rows of crops.
Also, due to changing weather and soil conditions, decisions relating to when to cultivate must be quickly made and the cultivating operation quickly carried out. Thus, in certain instances, time is of the essence in installing or removing cultivator shields.